Upright piano.



PATENTED FEB. 4. 1908.

J. J. THOMAS. UPRIGHT PIANO. APPLIGATION FILED JUNE 22. 1907.

Bag/6V WITNESSES.

UNITED STATES PATENT onnrcn UPRIGHT PIANO.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 4;, 1908.

Application filed June 22.1907. gerial No. 380.335.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

. Be it known that I, J OHN J osnrn THOMAS, of Market street, of thecity of Guelph, in the county of lVellington, in the Province ofOntario, Canada, piano-builder, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in U pright Pianos, of which the following is thespecification.

My invention relates to improvements in upright pianos, and particularlyto a metal sustaining frame for the same, and the object of theinvention is to devise a means for strengthening, sustaining andreinforcing the ordinary wooden frame carrying the sounding board, inwhich the ordinary wooden upright will be dispensed with and the framerendered less bulky and at the same time completely independent of thecasing, which may be attached to the wooden frame in the usual manner.

A further object is to produce a clear and ringing tone in the piano.

The invention comprises a substantially rectangular frame having the endand intermediate uprights and top intermediate and bottom cross bars,the bottom cross bar being of angle iron and the end bars being securedto the wooden end posts and the top and intermediate bars being securedto the head block, and the bottom bar secured to the bottom horizontalblock all in such a manner that the frame is contained within the planepassing through the outside edge faces of the end posts as hereinaftermore particularly explained.

Figure 1, is a perspective rear view of the interior wooden frameshowing my metal sustaining frame affixed thereto. Fig. 2, is a verticalsection on the line 22 Fig. 1.

In the drawings like letters of reference indicate corresponding partsin each figure.

A are the end posts, B the bottom horizontal block, 0 the head block, Dthe wrest plank, E the ordinary sounding board and F the string plate.The disposition of the sounding board and the string plate, is notnovel.

G is the back plate in which resdeis the chief novelty of my invention.

The back plate G comprises the end flange or angle bars G, the bottomflange or angle bar G the top flat bar G and the intermediate flat bar Gand the intermediate ribbed vertical bars G The bar G has formedunderneath it the arches G forming part of the plate and extendingbetween the 1 vertical and intermediate bars as indicated. The top flatbar G3 and intermediate horizontal bar G are secured by screws or othersuitable fastenings to the head block G and the bottom bar G is securedby screws or other suitable fastenings to the bottom bar B. The end barsG are secured by screws through the projecting flanges to the end postsA.

H are bolts, which extend through the top bars G, head block and wrestplank and string plate. I are bolts which extend through the stringplate and sounding board into the intermediate vertical rib bars G Theribs or flanges of the vertical bar are flush with the outer face of thebottom bar G From this description it will be seen that I have provideda very simple means for strengthening and sustaining the ordinary woodenframe of pianos,whereby the ordinary upright wooden posts are dispensedwith, and which I find in practice serves to make the wooden frame, towhich the case is glued, much more compact and allows of more room inthe case for the action, as well as allows of a clear ringing tone tothe piano as all the parts are very solid and equally sustained.

hat I claim as my invention is:

1. In an upright piano, the combination with the interior wooden pianoframe comprising the side posts, bottom block head block and wrest plankand sounding board suitably disposed and held thereby, of a sustainingframe comprising the end vertical bars held on the inside of the posts,the intermediate vertical bars, the top and intermediate horizontalplates secured to the head block and the bottom horizontal plate securedto the bottom block as and for the purpose specified.

2. In an upright piano, the combination with the interior wooden pianoframe comprising the side posts, bottom block, head block and wrestplank and sounding board suitably disposed and held thereby, of asustaining frame comprising the end vertical angle bars held on theinside of the posts, the intermediate vertical rib bars, the top andintermediate horizontal plates secured to the head block and the bottomhorizontal angle plate secured to the bottom block, the vertical barsand bottom plate having their rear sides lie flush with the rear sidesof the wooden posts of the wooden frame as and for the purposespecified.

3. In an upright piano, the combination block and the bottom horizontalplate s'e- 10 With the interior wooden piano frame co1ncured to thebottom block, the intermediate prising the side posts, bottom block headplate having downwardly depending porblock, and wrest plank and soundingboard tions forming arches extending between the suitably disposed andheld thereby, of a sus vertical bars as and for the purpose specified.

taining frame comprising the end Vertical JOHN JOSEPH THOMAS. bars heldon the inside of the posts the inter- Witnesses: mediate vertical bars,the top and interine- JOHN J. DREW,

diate horizontal plates secured to the head M. L. TRIBE.

